Lot 314: JEAN LOUIS FLORENT POLYDORE ROUX (1792-1833).

Ornithologie proven‡ale, ou description avec figures colori‚es de tous les oiseaux qui habitent constamment la Provence ou qui n'y sont que de passage, Paris: Levrault & Marseilles, chez l' Auteur, 1825-30. 4 volumes. 4o (240 x 187mm). Half title, 439 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Beisson after Roux, comprising 391 plates of birds (plate I uncoloured), 33 of eggs and 17 of nests. (Lacking the text, some spotting and light browning). 20th-century black morocco-backed boards, spines with raised bands and lettered in gilt (edges lightly rubbed). FIRST EDITION. RARE. Publication of this work was planned in 60 parts, but only 56 appeared. Anker, Nissen and Ronsil call for 451 plates, while Sitwell and Wood call for 425 plates. The above copy is the second most complete to appear at auction, after the Loder copy (Christie's, 02 June 1999). The Bradley Martin copy had 437 plates and the Richards Howard copy 421 plates. Anker 431; Brunet IV, 1428; Sitwell Fine Bird Books p.103; Nissen IVB 797; Ronsil 2654; Wood p.543: "essential to a thorough study of the avifauna of Southern France". (4).